I'm not a big fan of New Year's Resolutions. I've never seriously made any. I might have thought about changing some things, but the thoughts usually came while I was washing my hair. Or vacuuming. Or brushing my teeth.
This year is a little bit different. When Melanie turned 12 last year and entered the Young Women program, it took me for a little stroll down nostalgia lane. For most people, that little journey is usually a pleasant one. But when I think of my time in the Young Women program, I do not remember it with fondness. I HATED being in there. I really did. My family wasn't active in the Church, I was struggling to get there each week, let alone for Mutual activities. I got along better with the boys in the ward than I did with the girls--the product of having three older brothers and no sisters. I also had a horrible relationship with my mom. Seriously, when I think about what I was like to her, and how much fighting and contention there was between us, it makes me shiver. Thank goodness we're all patched up now.
I never did receive my Young Womanhood Recognition award. At the time, I couldn't have cared less about it. But that was then. Now is different. I'm different, and thank goodness for that!
Melanie and I have decided to earn our Young Womanhood Recognition Awards together. It's going to be a lot of work, I know, but it really is something I want to accomplish. Melanie and I are both really excited to do this together. What a fantastic way for both our testimonies to grow and brighten, and for our relationship to do the same.
So yesterday I went to Desert Book and purchased my own Personal Progress booklet. Wow. They're a lot smaller than when I was in Young Women! But the work is the same. Only now, I get to work on these things with my daughter. What a blessing! There is a quote in the booklet I want to share with you. It filled me with hope and the Spirit when I read it.
"Give me a young woman who loves home and family, who reads and ponders the scriptures daily, who has a burning testimony of the Book of Mormon. Give me a young women who faithfully attends her church meetings, who is a seminary graduate, who has earned her Young Womanhood Recognition Award and wears it with pride! Give me a young woman who is virtuous and who has maintained her personal purity, who will not settle for less than a temple marriage, and I will give you a young woman who will perform miracles for the Lord now and throughout eternity." ~President Ezra Taft Benson
What woman wouldn't want that for their daughter? Or themselves?
8 comments:
Sounds like a wonderful goal. I just finished about a week ago. Of course as leader my requirements are fewer. If you need any help or ideas let me know, I run our monthly personal progress activity for our ward.
What a great goal! Jesse was invited to a Young Men's meeting a few month's ago when the rolled out the new program. At that time Sam and I decided to each have our own book as well and work on the goals with Jesse. When I was in Utah at Thanksgiving I purchased the books. Now they are sitting on a shelf, collecting dust, until Jesse turns 12 in March and we begin. :)
HEY! I'm so proud of you. As a little secret, I always hated young womens too. And when you get your yw recognition award, it'll mean ten times more cause you are doing it with melanie. :)
I LOVE it! The quote from Benson is amazing! I actually copied it and printed it out! My personal progress story was different and I tell my daughter it was a major factor in keeping me sound and faithful during my teenage years. My home life was "ick" but I had that motivation and blessings that kept me straight (for the most part :). Shylee isn't too motivated, so I am going to read her story I love it!!! Thanks for sharing that goal with me! It's my and Shylee's goal as well (even if she doesn't know it!!!).
Wow. That is a brilliant quote.
I didn't get my medallion either. I've always regretted it. But, yeah, I had a bit of a hard time in those years. Snarky girls, not fitting in, not such a great relationship with my mom either, bad hair....wait. Ok. The hair didn't have anything to do with it...maybe.
I've been a leader in YW three times and always...thought about doing the Personal Progress then. It never quite stuck.
Now maybe I'll just wait for Zoe to get into YW. Only 9 years to go.
I think you *might* get yours before me. :)
Good luck and I think it's a really really great idea.
Hey.....you hated going to YW with me? ;)
All my roommates in Seattle talked about how they all were innactive around that age because they hated the girls in their wards and the programs, etc. When I reflected on it, I supposed that I wasn't close friends with anyone in our ward at that age, but as I was socially weird anyway it didn't really matter to me at all. Besides the two girls in our class (you and Kelee) and Julie when she was there, I didn't really know or identify with any of the other girls, and I always heard about fights and things second-hand months later...but again, thats how I was in school too.
I finished my personal progress because I just used tons of stuff I was doing for school anyway. Like, my Sterling Scholar portfolio totally counted for a 20hr project, and I counted tons of other school assignments for things too.
Good luck finishing yours up this time!
Lori - I'm sure I'll take you up on your offer for ideas. Thanks.
Julie - That's great that you and Sam will work on goals with Jesse. I know Melanie is excited for the two of us to work on things together. I'm so lucky she wants to. :)
Lauren - I totally agree that my YW recogonition award will mean more doing it with Melanie. :)
Lori - I'm so glad Young Women was a happy place for you. It's not like mine was miserable, I just wasn't in the right frame of mind/life/spirit at the time. I'm just glad Melanie is, so it won't be me prodding her along to do stuff.
Erin - That quote is fabulous, isn't it? I haven't been in YW since I got out of it (ha, ha), but I'm okay with that. I'm excited to do this with Melanie. Better motivation. :) I'm sure Zoe will be thrilled to get her award alongside you.
Tearese - It so was not you that made YW a negative experience. You and Kelee and Julie were great. I just wasn't committed to the gospel, so I let other things get in my way of earning it. I'll have to remind Melanie to keep an eye out for things she's doing in school that will count toward one of her projects. Thanks for the idea!
loved your thoughts here. Isn't it wonderful that we live many years so that it gives us plenty of time to change out attitudes and our actions. Your words give me hope that one day my two kids will actually not fight and that they will even be friends. :) hee hee. So, check it out. I totally got my young womens recognitions when I was young. But, I didn't remember that it even meant much to me at that time. In fact, I think my mom actually is the one responsible for earning that for me. Before I moved into the valley view ward, I was called to be the young women president. That was the best thing for me!! I got a second stab at it! I fell in LOVE with the young women program and did the hard work and earned my personal progress award! In fact, I am wearing my necklace right now. I wear it almost every day. That program (when taken seriously) changes us. It is basically just living the gospel. I love that the personal progress program helps the young women to put gospel living into practice in their own lives! Awesome!! You will love your experience!! Share it with us ok! :)
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